Straw-dispensing apparatus.



T. B. LONG. STRAW DISPENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY17, 1012.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

m Q, Mm L B m w m r/W M4 m COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH (0.,WASIIINOTDN. D, c.

T. B. LONG.

STRAW DISPENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1912.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-*BHEET 2.

:EI E' ww/wboz Theodore filonj T. B. LONG.

STRAW DISPENSING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY17, 1912. 1,088,9 1 2.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

3 SHBETS-8HEET 3.

&

- JXMMaoozo COLUMBIA I'LANOGRAPH 20.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

E STATES PATENT OFFICE;

THEODORE B. LONG, 01? COA'IESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RALPH I. WILTON, OF WRIGHTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRAW-DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE B. LONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Goatesville, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Straw-Dispensing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for holding and dispensing articles of various kinds, particularly drinking straws such as are used at soda fountains, and has for its object to provide a closed ornamental receptacle for holding the straws in upright position away from the dust and the contaminating touch of the fingers of persons desiring to use a straw.

The apparatus is fitted with a simple device for presenting the straws, one at a time, before a suitable opening in the receptacle where the straw may be grasped by the fingers and withdrawn for use.

The device is simple in construction, and being made almost entirely of glass and ornamented to the taste, very attractive.

The dispensing mechanism comprises a single member without joints or movable parts and may be operated indefinitely without delivering a straw from the receptacle, but at each operation a straw is brought into position to be easily removed.

With the above objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described in detail and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing apparatus complete. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Figs. at and 5 are perspective views of difi'erent parts of the apparatus. Fig. 6

is a perspective sectional view of the dispensing member. Fig. 7 is a perspective view enlarged of a portion of the dispensing member. Fig. 8 is a vertical, central sectional view of a modified form of the invention arranged for dispensing a straw on opposite sides of the device at each operation of the dispensing member. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the shell shown in Fig. 4 when used in connection with the form of apparatus illustrated in Fig. 8. I

In the drawing 10 indicates the lowerportion. or body of the receptacle made preferably of glass and, circular in cross-section. This lower portion is supported by a spreading base or foot 11 which may be integral with the body as shown or connected thereto as desired. The body 10 enlarges or flares outwardly from the base to its top which latter opens into the space 12 withinthe body for holding the straws. The bottom 13 of the space 12 is advantageously made in the shape of a cone as represented, in the center or apex of which is fixed a metal rod 14 extending some distance above the body 10 and threaded at its upper end.

Surrounding the top portion of the body 10 is a dispensing member 15 comprising a cylindrical band 16 having an inturned flange 17 on its upper edge which bears on and projects over the top edge of the body 10. The dispensing member 15 fits with sufficient freedom over the body to permit its easy rotation thereon, and to assist in turning it a number of lugs or thumb pieces 18 project outwardly from the side of the memher as represented. The inner edge of the flange 17 projects over the edge of the body 10 and is provided with a number of recesses or notches 30, into each of which a single straw enters and is carried by the member 15 as it is rotated to the dispensing position. Owing to the conical shape of the bottom 13 of the receptacle l0 and the flaring shape of the receptacle itself, the natural tendency of the top of the straws as they stand inthe space 12 is to fall or gravitate outward, the outermost straws bearing against the flange 17 in position to enter the recesses 30 as the dispensing member is turned. These recesses are each made with an inclined side 31 to more readily enable a straw to enter the recess, and an abrupt side 32 to hold the straw within the recess after it enters and carry it around as the member 15 is turned. To prevent the edges of the recesses from bending or breaking the straws during the travel, the abrupt side of each recess is faced by a short curved plate 33, as shown, which provides a broad hearing -for the straw. The plates 33 are each curved laterally to corre sponcl with the curvature of the side 31 of the recess 30, and project both above and below the flange 17, curving backwardly or away from the recess. The straws are agitated and prevented from packing or bunchlower end of the shell 20 extends a short distance below the flange 17 of the dispensing member 15 and close to its inner edge, opening into the space 12 Within the body to permit the upper ends of the straws to pass from the body into the shell. The upper end of the shell has a cover 21 with a hole 22 therethrough for the passage of the rod 14.

Inclosing the shell 20, is an inverted frusto-conical crown piece 23 preferably made of glass closed by a top 24 with a central hole 25 for the passage of the rod let and an opening 26 at one side of the central hole through which the straws are passed to fill the receptacle. The crown piece 28 extends downward to the dispensing member 15, its lower end terminating a short distance below the top of and close to the outside of the same. Through one side of the crown piece 23 and its top 24; is an opening 27 sufficiently wide to permit the thumb and finger entering to seize and withdraw a straw. A semicircular plate 28 overlies the top 2 1 of the crown piece and closesthe opening 27 through the top. A hole is made in the plate 28 for the rod 14; the plate, the crown piece and the shell being firmly secured on the rod by means of a nut 29 threaded on the rod and pressing said parts between itself and the shoulder 19 as shown, thus rigidly connecting the body, the shell, the crown piece and the plate, the dispensing member being the only movable piece about the apparatus.

In assembling the apparatus care must be taken that the opening 27 in the crown piece be placed in front of the closed or convex side of the shell 20, as in Fig. 3, that the latter may form a wall or partition between the loose straws and those carried by the dispensing member toward the opening 27.

To operate the apparatus, it is first filled with straws by passing them through the opening 26 in the top of the crown piece, then by placing the thumb on one of the thumb pieces 18 and the fingers on the body 10, or preferably on an ear or lug 34; on the body, a movement of the thumb to the right will cause the dispensing member to rotate and bring one of the recesses containing a straw opposite the opening 27 in the crown piece where the straw can be grasped by the thumb and finger and withdrawn from the apparatus.

If desired the crown piece may be made with a second opening 27 opposite the opening 27 so that two persons may each be served with a straw at the same time. hen so made instead of using a shell 20 such as shown in Fig. 4, a shell 35 similar to that illustrated'in Fig.9 will be employed to provide a wall or backing 86 for each opening, leaving a space 37 on each side between the walls for the escape of straws from the in terior of the shell to the dispensing member.

A dispensing apparatus such as described will form an attractive article of store furnishing which may be easily operated and is thoroughly sanitary as the straws are wholly inclosed within the receptacle, free from dust and protected from the promiscuous handling by customers and others.

Among the many devices for dispensing straws, a great majority of them are designed to drop a straw from the receptacle at each operation of the dispensing mechanism. This is objectionable and expensive for the reason that many personsthoughtlessly or with a desire to see the device operate, manipulate the dispensing mechanism a number of times and cause a straw to be delivered each time, and thus more straws are withdrawn than are required. WVith the present apparatus the straws are not dropped nor ejected from the receptacle, but are carried by and brought into position for easy withdrawal by the fingers after each operation of the dispensing member. Should the straw not be withdrawn when presented but the dispensing member fur ther rotated, the straw remains in the dispensing member to be carried back into the from the loose bulk and carry them past an opening in said crown piece through which they may be manually withdrawn one at a time, said dispensing member retaining the selected articles until withdrawn.

2. A dispensing apparatus comprising a hollow body tapering outwardly from the bottom to the top, a crown piece also tapering outwardly toward the top fixed to said body and having a side opening, andthe revoluble dispensing member mounted. on the body between said body and the crown piece for presenting articles contained within the apparatus in front of said opening to permit their removal.

A dispensing apparatus comprising a hollow body having a conical bottom and sides tapering outwardly from the bottom to the top, a stationary rod rising from the bottom of the body, a crown piece also tapering outwardly toward the top and having a side opening, fastened on said rod, and a revoluble dispensing member mounted on the top of the body between its upper edge and the crown piece, said member being provided with means for engaging articles within the apparatus and delivering them one at a time in front of the opening in the crown piece. a

4:. A dispensing apparatus comprising a hollow body tapering outwardly from the bottom to the top, a crown piece also tapering outwardly at the top and having a side opening, fixed to said body, a shell within the crown piece disposed within the side opening of the crown piece to form a backing therefor, means for fastening rigidly together the body, crown piece and shell, and a dispensing member revolubly mounted pln the body between the crown piece and she.

5. A dispensing apparatus comprising a hollow) body tapering outwardly from the bottom to the top, the crown piece also tapering outwardly toward the top and having a side opening, fixed to said body, and a revoluble dispensing member for present ing articles contained within the apparatus in front of said opening, said dispensing member comprising a cylindrical band embracing the body and an internal flange over the top of the same, said flange having a plurality of recesses in its inner edge into which the articles to be dispensed fall and by which they are delivered.

6. A dispensing apparatus comprising a hollow upwardly and outwardly tapering body having a conical bottom adapted to contain in an upright position articles to be dispensed, a hollow crown piece also tapering upwardly and outwardly having a side opening and extending over the top of said body, the upper end of said articles extending into the crown, a dispensing member rotatively mounted on the body, said member comprising a cylindrical band having an inwardly projecting flange extending over the top of the body provided with a plurality of recesses to receive a straw and deliver the same to said opening, a shell within the crown piece forming a separating wall between said opening and the interior of the crown piece, and a fixed rod rising from the bottom of the body to which said crown piece and shell are fastened.

7. Dispensing apparatus comprising a body portion or container in which the articles to be dispensed are held in loose bulk; and a revoluble dispensing member adapted to select an article singly from the loose bulk and deliver it at a predetermined point in its revolution for withdrawal, said dispensing member retaining the selected article and returning it to the loose bulk in the container if it is not withdrawn.

8. Dispensing apparatus comprising a body portion or container having a delivery opening; means behind said delivery opening for preventing access through said opening to the bulk of articles in said container; and a revoluble dispensing member to select the articles singly from the bulk, deliver them at said opening for withdrawal, and return them to the container if not withdrawn.

9. Dispensing apparatus comprising a body portion or container for the articles having a delivery opening in its side wall; a depending guard plate within said container behind and spaced from said delivery opening for preventing access through said opening to the bulk of articles in said container; and a revoluble dispensing member movable in said space to select articles singly from the bulk of articles within the container, carry them to said opening for withdrawal, and return them to the container if not withdrawn.

10. Dispensing apparatus comprising a body portion or container having a delivery opening therein, a guard plate spaced from said delivery opening to prevent access to the bulk of articles within said container, and a revoluble dispensing member movable between said guard plate and said delivery opening to select articles singly from the bulk within the container and present them to the delivery opening, said dispensing member retaining the article if not withdrawn and presenting it again on the next revolution.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE B. LONG.

Witnesses:

EDWARD P. VvICKERSI-IAM, TI-IOS. SPAGKMAN,

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommiuioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

